A practical technique for continuous monitoring of cerebral tissue pressure in neurosurgical patients. Preliminary results.

A new technique for continuous monitoring of cerebral tissue pressure is presented. It is based on a new type of piecoresistive microtransducer with low baseline and temperature drifts. In 7 patients cerebral tissue pressure and ventricular fluid pressure were recorded simultaneously. Comparison of these two different pressures showed extremely good correlation with coefficients always better than 0.95. Due to another type of pulsewave cerebral tissue pressure was constantly 4 to 12 mm Hg lower than ventricular fluid pressure. Routine use of cerebral tissue monitoring in 12 neurosurgical patients with brain tumours postoperatively showed good clinical correlation of cerebral tissue pressure without any additional complications. The authors recommend continuous monitoring of cerebral tissue pressure as a safe and simple method of intracranial pressure monitoring in neurosurgery.